Oil mixing in antifreeze? HELP!!!

Hey everybody-

I've got a 94 Explorer with 131K miles on it and have noticed that my antifreeze is dark brown in color and smells terrible. The overflow reservoir has brown antifreeze in it. The antifreeze level has not really gone up at all but it loses a quart of oil every 500-700 miles. Not until recently did I notice the antifreeze this color. The oil itself looks fine-not foamy or milky but the antifreeze is gross. Now do the Explorers have some sort of oil cooler in the radiator?? I'm really hoping its nothing too serious. When I start it up there is no strange colored smoke or anything just a little lifter tap that goes away after a minute or two of driving. Hopefully someone can help me with this-
Thanks

try flushing the system then see what the coolent looks like

If this vehicle has an automatic transmission, the radiator does have a transmission cooling tank in it (i believe it's on the driver's side). These tanks can rupture causing all sorts of mayhem! If this is the case, you shouldn't be driving the vehicle until the problem is resolved. The transmission fluid is damaging to rubber parts in the engine and wherever else the coolant goes. The coolant is also probably not good on the tranny either, but I've only heard of engine problems. My brother has already whacked an engine from this happening. All of the rubber seals and gaskets touched by the tranny fluid got gummy. I hope it's not your problem. Good luck.

could have a blown head gasket, but if it is tranny fluid then replace the radiator flush your system and put on an after market tranny cooler this will also help your tranny alot when it a head gasket the coolent doesnt always go in to the engine

is the coolant getting into the oil becuz if it is it sounds like a blown head gasket.

oh and pull out the dip stick if theoild looks like a milkshake color you definitley have a blown head gasket.. if the head gaskets blown i wouldnt drive the car till its fix becuz youll blow the heads.

I agree with cobradude. If the cooling system has been neglected for a few years, the coolant can turn brown due to oxidization and electralasys. So flush reallygood and re check. If there is oil, not transmission fluid, in the coolant, you will need to buy another block because ,probably, a coolant passage has cracked. So follow cobradudes advice before you get too paniced. Good luck.

I do not know how long you have had the truck, but, if it has had stop leak added to radiator it will accumulate in the overflow tank. I have seen this happen twice to vehicles, one being mine. Had a small leak in the dead of winter from heater core and I noticed that this crap found its way to the tank and looked awful. If it were a leak in the engine I wonder why no radiator fluid made it to the oil? I would think that both would be affected. Check the transmission fluid. As to the oil usage, my son's 91 developed a leak at the rear main seal. Used a quart every 7-800 miles. Hopefully you do not have a major engine problem such as block etc.

Sorry it took so long to get back to this post but it was actually a stop leak and older antifreeze that had change the color of the oil. Nothing serious. As for oil use I did find that shes got a leak at the rear main seal and a few other places but no big deal; just keep putting oil in it. Thanks